supra-genius
02 Aug 2004, 01:54 PM
Proposed Ohio constitutional amendment
Same-sex marriage foes say they have signatures to place issue on ballot
Monday, August 02, 2004
The Associatede Press
Proposed amendment
Details of the proposed Ohio constitutional amendment that supporters are trying to place on the Nov. 2 ballot:
The amendment : Only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this state and its political subdivisions. This state and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage.
The summary : The amendment denies the validity and prohibits the legal recognition as marriage in Ohio of same-sex relationships and relationships comprised of three or more persons, and forbids according nonmarital relationships a legal status intended to approximate marriage in certain respects.
Supporters of a constitutional amendment to ban civil unions or a similar legal status to unmarried couples have enough signatures to get the proposal on the November ballot, the group's president said Monday.
Citizens for Community Values will submit the petitions to Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell by Wednesday's deadline, said Phil Burress, president of the Cincinnati-based group. The group was waiting for overnight delivery of more completed petition forms but is confident the total is more than the required 323,000 to qualify for the Nov. 2 election.
The proposal commonly called a gay marriage ban applies to all unmarried couples and would prohibit any legal status "that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage."
Amendment opponents will review the petitions carefully to ensure the rules were followed, said Alan Melamed, campaign manager for Ohioans Protecting the Constitution, a political action committee formed last month. The group is planning its campaign, including radio and television ads, if enough signatures of registered Ohio voters are verified.
"If they follow the rules they're perfectly entitled to be on the ballot," Melamed said.
Same-sex marriage foes say they have signatures to place issue on ballot
Monday, August 02, 2004
The Associatede Press
Proposed amendment
Details of the proposed Ohio constitutional amendment that supporters are trying to place on the Nov. 2 ballot:
The amendment : Only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this state and its political subdivisions. This state and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage.
The summary : The amendment denies the validity and prohibits the legal recognition as marriage in Ohio of same-sex relationships and relationships comprised of three or more persons, and forbids according nonmarital relationships a legal status intended to approximate marriage in certain respects.
Supporters of a constitutional amendment to ban civil unions or a similar legal status to unmarried couples have enough signatures to get the proposal on the November ballot, the group's president said Monday.
Citizens for Community Values will submit the petitions to Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell by Wednesday's deadline, said Phil Burress, president of the Cincinnati-based group. The group was waiting for overnight delivery of more completed petition forms but is confident the total is more than the required 323,000 to qualify for the Nov. 2 election.
The proposal commonly called a gay marriage ban applies to all unmarried couples and would prohibit any legal status "that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage."
Amendment opponents will review the petitions carefully to ensure the rules were followed, said Alan Melamed, campaign manager for Ohioans Protecting the Constitution, a political action committee formed last month. The group is planning its campaign, including radio and television ads, if enough signatures of registered Ohio voters are verified.
"If they follow the rules they're perfectly entitled to be on the ballot," Melamed said.